Polymerization of α-pinene

Abstract

There is provided a process for polymerizing α-pinene by adding the same incrementally to a catalyst system comprising a major amount of an aluminum halide and a minor amount of an organo germanium halide or alkoxide in admixture with a (lower) alkyl, alkenyl or aralkyl halide in an inert solvent while controlling the temperature of reaction in the range of -30° C. to +30° C., drowning the polymerization mixture in water, separating the organic phase therefrom, removing the solvent therefrom, and recovering a solid polymer in good yield.

We claim: 
     
       1. A polymerization catalyst system which comprises: (a) a major amount ranging from 2 to 10%, by weight, of aluminum chloride, aluminum bromide or mixtures of the same, and   (b) a minor amount ranging from 0.08 to 0.1%, by weight, of an alkyl germanium halide or an aryl germanium halide in admixture with from 0.4 to 1.0%, by weight, of an alkyl halide, alkenyl halide or aralkyl halide, said percentages being based on the weight of monomer to be polymerized.   
     
     
       2. The catalyst system of claim 1 wherein the alkyl germanium halide is trimethyl germanium chloride. 
     
     
       3. The catalyst system of claim 1 wherein the alkyl germanium halide is triethyl germanium chloride. 
     
     
       4. The catalyst system according to claim 1 wherein the alkyl halide is t-butyl chloride. 
     
     
       5. The catalyst system according to claim 1 wherein the aryl germanium halide is triphenyl germanium chloride.